South Bend Campus

What is ivy academy

Ivy Academy is a program designed for the South Bend Community School Corporation (Adam’s, Washington, Riley) where Juniors and Seniors take college courses in a collegiate style schedule at Ivy Tech Community College (ITCC), as a high school cohort. As classes meet less frequently than the typical high school 8am-3pm, M-F schedule,  additional time allows students to explore the varied ITCC Academic Programs available. On top of that, students still participate in high school electives at their respective high schools, offering additional peer to peer socialization.

Here is a graph outlining the opportunities with Ivy Academy:

Apples to Apples: AP VS. Dual Credit

Many people ask what the difference is between AP courses and Dual Credit Courses on a high school level. AP courses require a high school student to participate in and pass a college course (taught at the high school), but the student will only obtain the college credit after passing a FINAL exam. Without a passing final exam, the time the student took the course could be wasted. And while Dual Credit courses taken at a high school DO guarantee college credit (without a FINAL exam), students are still taking the course in a high school methodology timetable of 8am-3pm. See the above table for reference.

Application Requirements: Ivy Academy

1. Attend High School in the South Bend Community School Corporation
2. Maintain 2.5 GPA
3. Maintain a clean attendance and behavior record
4. Application for IVY ACADEMY FORM
5. Submit STUDENT ESSAY FORM
6. Submit COUNSELOR RECOMMENDATION LETTER
7. Register and Attend Ivy Academy Orientation Meeting - REGISTER HERE

Current Ivy Academy Orientation Meetings for the 2025 - 2026 School Year are:
January 31, 2025 in Rm. 121, Ivy Tech South Bend
February 2, 2025 in Rm. 121, Ivy Tech South Bend

Once students are accepted into the Ivy Academy program they are also required to register as a student with Ivy Tech Community College and pass the Ivy Tech Knowledge Assessment Test at a 70% or higher in reading, writing, and STEM. (You will learn how to do these at the Informational Meeting.) 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

With Ivy Academy, you’ll complete the Indiana College Core certificate (30 credits) in your junior year. As a senior, you can pursue an associate degree in general studies, liberal arts, or other areas like psychology, business, or criminal justice. You can even take Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, with many counting toward your degree—all at no cost to you.

FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

For additional information about this program, email the program director, Maggie Kent, at mkent13@ivytech.edu. In addition, explore our many academic program options accessible to Ivy Tech students.

Academic Programs